Let’s Talk - Lozano Smith Podcast

This Lozano Smith Podcast episode is the fourth and final in a 4-part series Leadership in Action, brought to you by Lozano Smith and Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services, also known as CCS.  Due to a long pattern of declining enrollment and resulting budget challenges, school districts around the state are increasingly faced with making the difficult decision of whether and how to close or consolidate schools.  In this episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Lozano Smith CCS expert Ron Carruth, Ed.D. and Partner Harold Freiman regarding their unique expertise and best practice recommendations for this challenging process, which is often fraught with emotion for the schools and for the community.  Adding to the challenge are recent legal guidances on school consolidation and on equity considerations that should be considered.  Practical takeaways on this topic from this episode—whether on demographics studies, communication plans, or legal strategies—can benefit superintendents, school district cabinet leaders of all departments, and school board members. Show Notes & References 4:10 –  Observations on school consolidation 7:00 – Decreases in ADA (Average Daily Attendance) and demographic patterns 8:19 – Lessons on reconfiguration/consolidation 11:12 – Key legal issues surrounding reconfiguration/consolidation 11:50 – Community input (Education Code section 17487) 12:22 – CDE guidance (Best Practices Guide for Potential School Closure) 14:09 – Assembly Bill (AB) 1912 and specific school closure requirements for financially distressed school districts 16:37 – Equity issues and Attorney General guidance letter (April 2023) 20:35 – Criteria to consider 24:24 – Awareness of common legal challenges 26:18 – Comparing the established 7/11 committee process to the new guidance on district advisory committees 29:31 – Insights into the motivations behind and creation of AB 1912 33:49 – Careful analysis in assisting districts with reconfiguration/closure 37:22 – Demographics, parameters, and best practices regarding time frames 39:24 – Communication plans, community outreach, and the importance of good documentation 45:43 – The Superintendent's role in the reconfiguration/closure process 48:14 – The importance of engaging with the entire district team 50:54 – The Board's role in the reconfiguration/closure process 56:01 – Final thoughts   To learn more about the Lozano Smith's Concierge Consulting Services (CCS) team, join us here. For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.

This Lozano Smith Podcast episode is the third in a 4-part series Leadership in Action, brought to you by Lozano Smith and Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services, also known as CCS.  In this episode, host Sloan Simmons connects with Lozano Smith CCS expert Brandon Krueger, Ed.D. and Partner Sarah Levitan Kaatz regarding building and sustaining a professional organizational culture.  This discussion highlights overarching concepts, practical approaches, and a framework for the extremely important, hard, and sustained work necessary to develop, improve, and maintain a successful, professional organizational culture.   Applicable takeaways from this episode can benefit school district leaders, but uniquely governing board members, superintendents, and other members of a district’s leadership cabinet. Show Notes & References 2:48 –  Differentiating between culture and climate 6:00 – Shifting culture 10:15 – Accountability (external and internal) 12:45 – Organizational culture work 17:11 – Timelines and tailoring trainings to each individual participant 22:27 – Bias incident response work example 27:09 – Flexibility to encourage participant investment 29:49 – Supporting administrators to maintain positive shifts 35:05 – Training "bites" and the importance of repetition in learning 37:11 – Strategies to combat administrator attrition and retirement 41:34 – Reference checks 42:10 – New requirements for job applicants and hiring entities (Assembly Bill (AB) 2534) (Client News Brief 47 - November 2024)   To learn more about the Lozano Smith's Concierge Consulting Services (CCS) team, join us here. For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.

This Lozano Smith Podcast episode is the second in a 4-part series Leadership in Action, brought to you by Lozano Smith and Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services, also known as CCS.  Whether your school district successfully passed a bond or parcel tax in years past or just this month, once those financial resources are accounted for, the process of moving forward with construction begins.  In this episode, host Sloan Simmons connects with Lozano Smith CCS expert George S. Sziraki, Ed.D. and Partner Kelly Rem regarding best practices for superintendents and their teams for advanced planning, issue spotting, engaging with their school boards, constituents, and other important stakeholders in the school construction project process.  Practical takeaways from this episode can benefit school district leaders at any stage of the school construction process, but in particular those at the starting point of the process. Show Notes & References 3:06 –  Budget process and the importance of management oversight 4:25 – The impact of timeline development on budget markers 7:19 – Accounting for unanticipated delays 8:40 – Stakeholder communications and legal aspects that come into play 12:36 – School bonds and Oversight Committees 13:37 – Lozano Smith Podcast Episode 68 Citizen Bond Oversight Committees: A Primer for School Districts (Listen here) 13:55 – Strategies for fostering good relationships with Oversight Committees 15:06 – Communications through the preconstruction phase and understanding delivery methods 17:11 – Potential legal engagement and knowing when to pass the baton 18:09 – The Levine Act 18:53 – Factoring in Title IX inequity issues and ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance 21:40 – Front-end policy development 22:34 – CUPCCAA (California Uniform Public Construction Cost Accounting Act) 23:53 – When disputes arise 26:03 – Big picture takeaways   To learn more about the Lozano Smith's Concierge Consulting Services (CCS) team, join us here. For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.

This Lozano Smith Podcast episode is the first in a 4-part series Leadership in Action, brought to you by Lozano Smith and Lozano Smith’s Concierge Consulting Services, also known as CCS.  Increasingly in recent years, the perception of governing board meetings have trended negative, with school leaders concerned over disruptions, lack of productivity, and more.  In this episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Lozano Smith CCS expert Kevin Skelly, Ph.D. and Partner Megan Macy regarding best practices in fostering a welcoming and positive experience during governing board meetings, to the benefit of district constituents, students, staff, administrators, and the governing board.  Practical takeaways from this episode can benefit both new and veteran governing board members in improving the experience and productivity of board meetings. Show Notes & References 3:13 – Making board meetings positive 7:04 – Planning for meetings and bringing issues forward 8:38 – Creating welcoming board meetings for constituents 13:10 – Connecting with constituents at meeting 13:57 – Celebrating success at board meetings 16:54 – Media coverage and relationships with local news networks 19:08 – Importance of board trainings and in-the-moment issue spotting 23:36 – Taking students and teachers into account 26:35 – Getting a "win" out of a "loss" at a board meeting 31:25 – Qualities of good governance teams and successful strategies to employ 36:27 – Modeling respect at board meetings   To learn more about the Lozano Smith's Concierge Consulting Services (CCS) team, join us here. For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.